Posts byLorelie

Addiction is called a FAMILY DISEASE because the 8 essential symptoms of addiction and codependency are the same. Codependency is a condition that affects an individual’s ability to have a healthy, mutually satisfying relationship. It is also known as “relationship addiction” because people with codependency often form or maintain relationships that are one-sided, emotionally destructiveCONTINUE READING

#174 They’re our children and friends who faced an early end Why did you take them God? Was it because they struggled so? Many others have used drugs, why did these ones have to go? Why did you take them God? We all want to know Was it because they shot drugs in their arm?CONTINUE READING

There’s a hole in my soul That I can’t control It makes me cry And wonder why? It’s depth has no bottom It grows bigger each day I feed it pills, drugs and booze But it won’t go away It’s a hungry monster And always wants more It not satisfied ever It keeps me poor.CONTINUE READING

I know you promised not again But here I am and ready when You feel tired, your head gets loud Sun-filled skies, roll in grey clouds Life seems to lose its precious shine Loving family fades to whine Bit by bit, it disappears The angers back, so are tears. You decide you’ve had enough YourCONTINUE READING

You don’t have to use drugs, to get sick from them. Families suffer just as much as the addicted person does. Some say more. While the addicted person is high, the families eyes are wide-open. It can be an ugly view. Living under extreme stress changes you… and not for the good. Families may notCONTINUE READING

Christmas is a time to celebrate family, laughter, long talks and great food. Many of you are busy right now preparing for the days ahead. The pantry has been stalked with all your favourite foods. Presents are wrapped. Stockings are stuffed. Countless hours have been spent in the mall looking for that perfect gift. You’reCONTINUE READING

Reading this post will upset some of you. I don’t write from a position of wishful thinking, but rather from one of personal experience. I’m a recovering addict who works in the field of addiction. I’ve sat with hundreds of addicts and their families, and one thing is very clear; Addiction needs help to progressCONTINUE READING

Thoughts tumble back and forth, playing hide and seek. They’re teasers, barley revealing themselves before racing off again. A flash of colour, red, yellow and gold. It was a cold day in the dying, autumn landscape. This is what’s it’s like to live inside my mind, where ten things are happening all at once. AsCONTINUE READING

Nichole’s mother and father were both addicted to methamphetamine. Enabled by her grandfather mostly, their reckless lifestyle didn’t catch up with them until their mid 40’s when they were out of excuses and had to serve time in prison and jail. Nicole’s story is amazing and truly inspiring. Although her mom and her have hadCONTINUE READING

Hey little girl, I’ve got something you need. A pill to make you pretty, oh yes indeed! Just one taste and you’ll be mine Your head will spin, you’ll feel so fine! I’m cunning, baffling, and powerful too. I’m larger than life and bigger than you. I’ll tell you things that aren’t even true ForCONTINUE READING

With a little time in it’s easy to forget the devastation addiction wreaked in my life. My clean comfortable bed does not resemble it’s former soiled, sweaty self. My healthy body no longer shakes. My teeth are fixed. My skin is clear. Looking at me you wouldn’t know I was once a hopeless drug addict.CONTINUE READING

A Letter To My Addicted Adult Child. My Dear Child, I feel like I’m saying goodbye to you and in a way, I suppose I am. I will always love you. I want the very best for you and I’m prepared to do the most unnatural thing a mother will ever do. My minds screamsCONTINUE READING

144 people die each day across North America from overdose. This means; Mothers are losing their babies. Lovers are losing their partners Children are losing their parents. Sisters are losing their brothers. Addicts are losing their lives. And no one is immune. If you’re struggling with addiction, there’s medication that will help you with yourCONTINUE READING

The words you use don’t just communicate meaning, they also describe your personality, beliefs and dictate your quality of life. There will always be Nay Sayers and Doomsday Prophets among us, but nothing is more self-defeating than the word can’t. Can’t is a lie. What does can’t really mean? You can’t … fly. But waitCONTINUE READING

Pain can be a beautiful thing. It tells us when something’s wrong or we need to make changes. From pain emerges growth and from growth, wisdom But not everyone learns from pain. Addicted individuals don’t cope well with difficult emotions due to a chemically imbalanced brain. Instead of feeling their pain, folks with this illness reactCONTINUE READING

Don’t tell me I can`t I can Don`t tell me it`s a bad idea It`s not Don`t tell me it won`t work It will Don`t put your fears and worries on me I don`t want them If you choose to live your life in a box – of societies making I won`t Don`t tell meCONTINUE READING

Today families all across North America will be sitting down at the dinner table to celebrate Easter. Mom is up early making the dressing.The turkey is defrosting in the laundry room sink. Children wake up excited and raring to go. Others might have taken this time as an opportunity to catch up on their beautyCONTINUE READING

Death by overdose kills 144 persons a day. We’ve all seen the dismal stories on the news and social media sites. Or the cell phone videos of someone overdosing in their car or on the street. You may even hear comments like ‘junkie, you’d be better off dead.’ Until you lose someone you love, death by overdose is just somethingCONTINUE READING

I am not your parent, or spouse, or friend. I am your CHILD. Only you don’t parent me anymore. You don’t care about me. You only care about getting high. You LOVE getting high. You will do ANYTHING to get high. You NEED to get high… and you step over me to do it. When youCONTINUE READING

A book review of the Jagged series. A powerful series on addiction. By Norm Goldman. Norm: Please tell our readers a little bit about your personal and professional background. Lorelie: Hello Norm! My background is loaded – no pun intended, well maybe a little – with addiction. I grew up in an alcoholic home andCONTINUE READING

A Letter From Heaven. Dear Mom and Dad, Words can’t describe how sorry I am. I put you in a position no parent should ever face. I left – before you. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. The natural order of things was skewed by my addiction. I can only imagine the agony youCONTINUE READING

For the addicted persons on Vancouver’s east side, I know the chances of you reading this aren’t great. You’ve likely pawned your electronics and the money you spend buying drugs, leaves you without money for internet. I don’t mention this to challenge you with the facts. I mention this to challenge your contributors, with them.CONTINUE READING

It’s hard to scroll through posts on social media or watch TV without coming upon political rants. Witnessing the political divide fracturing North America is frightening. Seriously, I am deeply concerned. I choose not to fan this fire by sharing put down memes. Some of the statements I have read and listened to are soCONTINUE READING

Addiction is a Family Affair By Jodi Takhar “Jagged Little Lies,” is the second book in the Jagged Series by Lorelie Rozzano. Lorelie is a person in long-term recovery who has worked at Edgewood, a treatment center in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Like myself, Lorelie has been on both sides of addiction, as the addict andCONTINUE READING

“Children of addicted parents are the highest risk group of children to become alcohol and drug abusers due to both genetic and family environmental factors.” – NACoA Did you know… Children who grow up in families that struggle with addiction, learn that feelings are dangerous. Children often feel responsible for the problems in their family.CONTINUE READING

Self-Loathing. I made you cry and laughed at your tears. I gave you nightmares and called you crazy. I fed you fear and insecurity. I hurt you and lied to you. I stole your smile and belittled you. I judged you and held you in contempt. I poisoned you with alcohol and tried to killCONTINUE READING

A book review by Jodi Takhar ﻿ JAGGED LITTLE EDGES Being a person in long-term recovery and working as a family addictions therapist, I have read loads of books, articles and material about addiction. Having said that, I have just read the most amazing book about addiction and I felt compelled to share it withCONTINUE READING

Tomorrow is New Years Eve. For me it used to signify drinking, drugging and partying-all night long. On this was one night, I wasn’t alone, either. It seemed everyone I partied with had the same idea. Getting wasted was what New Years Eve was all about. The ritual was amazing! I would plan what ICONTINUE READING

I’m your child, or spouse, or friend but I’ve changed. I don’t care about you, not in the way you want me to. I care about getting high. I WANT to get high. I will do ANYTHING to get high, I LOVE getting high, I NEED to get high… and I will step over youCONTINUE READING

Christmas is coming fast. Tis the season’ to be jolly and well … drunk! But hey, you’ve got a few years clean and sober under your belt, so you can relax. Maybe even skip a meeting. Truthfully, you’ve already skipped a few and you’re fine. Besides, you should be good by now. You haven’t toldCONTINUE READING

Back by popular demand! At 16 I knew it all. Everything. There was nothing you could have said or done, that would have impressed this super cool chick. Of course that was on the outside. Inside I was fearful, insecure and needy. The combination of these two may be the most confusing part of thisCONTINUE READING

We lose 129 People Each DayTo Overdose. No One Should Die From This Disease. In 2014 stats showed 129 people died each day due to overdose. If they did those stats today, the number would be much higher. Moms, Dads, and children reach out to me in desperation. They have lost their loved one, orCONTINUE READING

In 2014 statistics show 129 people die each day due to drug overdose. This is unacceptable. Sadder still, that number is growing. You can help by signing and sharing the petitions below. Thank you, Lorelie Rozzano. The Mess You’ll Leave Behind. By Cris Fiore. Dear active drug user, I know you believe it’s your lifeCONTINUE READING

I am a mother but before that I was a child, daughter, sister and friend. I am a mother and have been since the very first moment, I felt you move. I am a mother, my world revolves around raising my babies and trying to get enough sleep. I am a mother who feels guiltyCONTINUE READING

My nose dripped red snot. I blew it and groaned. My nasal cavity was worn to a thin, wet, bloody lining. I was 98 pounds of bad ass! I thought I looked hot. But in reality, I was a skeleton with hollowed out eyes and sunken cheekbones. My cocaine-opioid habit had caught up with me.CONTINUE READING

Q) What do you get when you scratch an alcoholic/addict? A) A co-dependent. Q) What do you get when you scratch a co-dependent? A) A hurt child. Q) What do you get when scratch a hurt child? A) Don’t. They’ve been hurt enough. Let’s face it. Before addiction grabbed you by the throat, you wereCONTINUE READING

Score another one for mental health and addiction. Another life, that is. A life that never had to end. Another tragedy. Another story. People are dying every few minutes from drug overdose. When is enough going to be enough? How many people have to die before we are willing to stand up as a societyCONTINUE READING

Sometimes we have to go back and parent ourselves. When the “little me” was healed, the “big me” grew up. As a little girl, I felt responsible for my parents. I still remember feeling anxious, sitting in the backseat of our car as it wobbled down the highway. I thought my alcoholic father would passCONTINUE READING

Dear Mom and Dad, Words can’t describe how sorry I am. I put you in a position no parent should ever face. I left – before you. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. The natural order of things was skewed by my addiction. I can only imagine the agony you must be in. ICONTINUE READING

I wear many hats in the role of addiction. I’m the daughter of an alcoholic. I learned early to walk on egg shells and feel overly responsible for you. Your bad mood was surely my fault. I was eager to please, with no well defined boundaries. In my early teens I switched roles. I movedCONTINUE READING

Dawn Clancy shares her experience as a child growing up with addiction. If you’re the Adult Child Of An Alcoholic, you’re sure to relate to this post! Follow Dawn on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowingUpChaotic/ I’m An Adult But Why Do I Feel Like A Kid?’ On June 4th I celebrated my birthday. As someone who’s admittedly insecureCONTINUE READING

It’s been my great honour to share with you – all I’ve learned in my journey through addiction to working as a counselor in the field of addiction, via the Jagged series. Not every one can afford treatment nor are they comfortable asking for help. If you see yourself or someone you love in theseCONTINUE READING

Addiction Says… Hey little girl, I’ve got something you need. A pill to make you pretty, oh yes indeed! Just one taste and you’ll be mine Your head will spin, you’ll feel so fine! I’m cunning, baffling, and powerful too. I’m larger than life and smarter than you. I’ll tell you things that aren’t evenCONTINUE READING

Have you ever wondered if your loved one struggles with addiction, mental health issues, or both? Does your recovering spouse flirt shamelessly or spend too much time looking at porn? How do you know if someone you love is struggling with a sex addiction? Or any other addiction, for that matter? For more information justCONTINUE READING

Shared from Bellwood Health Services. http://www.bellwood.ca/blog/ There is clearly a very important relationship between anxiety symptoms, disorders and addiction. Research has repeatedly demonstrated an important relationship between anxiety disorders and substance use disorders in both directions. Patients who suffer from an anxiety disorder such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks with or without agoraphobia, socialCONTINUE READING

The shrill ringing of the phone had me bolting up in bed. My heart is racing. As I reach to pick it up, I remind myself to breathe. I handle the receiver as if it’s a deadly viper. I loathe it. The phone never brings good news. Only bad news and worse. I hope thisCONTINUE READING

In families with addiction everyone struggles. Each family member develops coping strategies and survival skills to keep them safe within the family unit. The grown ups in these families are often loud, chaotic and scary. They have a voice, but their children don’t. Children with addicted parents distance themselves emotionally. They build walls to protectCONTINUE READING

Addiction is a progressive illness that never starts with injecting heroin into your arm. It starts before that. Some believe the first time an addict uses, they can get addicted. It can be confusing because non-addicts use and get high too. They may drink and drive, or wake up sick or hung-over. They also feelCONTINUE READING

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About Lorelie Rozzano

17 years ago I took the most difficult walk of my life – through the doors of a local treatment centre. I found in recovery what I’d been searching for in alcohol and drugs. Growing up in an alcoholic home I understand first-hand, the importance of a healthy family. I’m also an author, mother, wife, daughter, grandmother, foster parent, counselor, sister and friend. I am passionate about helping others to recover from the effects of addiction. I hope the honesty found in my books and on my blog, will inspire addicts and their families to reach out for help. I want people to know there is hope! I’m telling…on addiction!

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